Hopewell fends off late rally for 6-4 win in Smithfield-Fairchance
HOPWOOD — Smithfield-Fairchance fought to the final out Sunday evening before bowing out of the Region 6 American Legion Baseball Tournament with a 6-4 loss to Hopewell.
Hopewell stayed alive in the losers’ bracket and was scheduled to face Charleroi, a 1-0 winner over Center Monaca, Monday afternoon.
Smithfield-Fairchance’s season came to an end, although not before giving its faithful one last shot at cheering for a victory.
Tristian Robinson started the bottom of the seventh inning with a walk, but Landon Fox picked up the first out by strikeout.
Ben Diamond’s infield ground ball was booted to give the home team runners at first and second. Fox struck out a second batter, but pinch-hitter Creed Potkul kept hope alive with another walk.
Fox ended the threat — and earned the save — with his third strikeout of the inning.
“We had a shot,” said Smithfield-Fairchance manager Steve Strange.
Hopewell put up one big inning by sending 10 batters to the plate against Smithfield-Fairchance starter Dylan Shea and it gave the visitors a 4-0 lead in the top of the third inning.
The first run of the rally scored on a wild pitch. Chris Mullins’ double brought home two runs and Ty Eberhardt’s bases-loaded walk plated the fourth run of the inning.
Smithfield-Fairchance quickly responded in the bottom of the inning.
Nick Pegg and Wes Over singled to start the inning, and Nate McCusker walked to load the bases. Robinson’s ground ball went through the second baseman for a two-run error. Starting pitcher Joey Asvestas’ defense came up big to close the threat, though, with an inning-ending double play.
Smithfield-Fairchance had runners at first and second on a single and infield error in the fourth inning with two outs, but Asvestas ended the threat with an infield ground out.
Smithfield-Fairchance inched a run closer in the fifth inning on Ben Diamond’s RBI single after Robinson doubled with one out.
The momentum was dashed, however, in the top of the sixth inning when Hopewell countered with two runs. A single, walk and wild pitch set up LaSala with runners at second and third, and the shortstop came through with a two-run double off the left field fence to give Hopewell a 6-3 lead.
“Up until that point, they had one big four-run inning. It was a boxing match. It was the one big blow they had on us,” said Strange. “Look at the scoreboard. If you look at the categories, we should be winning.”
Shea gave way due to pitch count after striking out Asvestas for the second out of the sixth inning. Shea allowed six runs on seven hits. He walked five and struck out two.
Shea hit a monstrous shot over the left field fence with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the gap to 6-4.
Pegg then was safe on a mishandled ground ball, but was caught stealing for the second out. Fox entered the game and promptly walked Over, but induced McCusker into a fly out to left field to end the inning.
Robinson pitched the final 1.1 innings. He struck out two, allowed one hit and walked one.
“The guys played real hard all season. They showed a lot of fight,” praised Strange. “I’m real proud of them.”
Smithfield-Fairchance finished with six hits.